Interview: Use of TV news tapes
Vermont’s Supreme Court is hearing a case that could affect the way media outlets cover stories. Prosecutors want to identify people who rioted at the University of Vermont after the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees in last fall’s American League Championship series, and they want television station WCAX to hand over un-aired videotape of the riot that could help them do just that. WCAX is refusing the request. (VPR)
Dubie breaks tie in vote to ban mercury batteries
Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie cast his first tie-breaking vote in the Senate on Wednesday to break a deadlock on a bill that regulates mercury. Dubie’s vote means that the legislation now exempts certain products from a proposed statewide ban on mercury. Those products use mercury batteries made in Bennington. And the lieutenant governor said he was concerned about jobs at the Bennington battery plant. (VPR)
Leahy, Jeffords vote against oil drilling in Alaskan wilderness
The United States Senate has given its narrow approval to a measure that will allow drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Both of Vermont’s senators, Jim Jeffords and Patrick Leahy, strongly opposed the measure. (VPR)
Guard deploys 10 soldiers to Afghanistan
Ten members of the Vermont Army National Guard are heading to Afghanistan. They’re part of a contingent of forty Vermonters who will help train the Afghan military. (VPR)
House votes to require carbon monoxide detectors
The Vermont House has voted three-to-one to require the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in most homes throughout the state over the next few years. (VPR)
New officers appointed to Board of Education
The state Board of Education has new leaders. Tom James of Essex is chairman and William Corrow of Williamstown is vice chairman. (AP)
Sugarmakers hope season will start this week
Maple sugar producers in southern Vermont hope temperatures might rise enough on Thursday or Friday for the sap to start running. The season is nearly two weeks late in some parts of the state. (AP)
Judicial retention vote
Vermont lawmakers get to decide the future of four Supreme Court justices and eight other judges on Thursday. The House and Senate are to meet in joint session and vote whether to retain the judges and justices on the bench for another six years. (AP)
NRC assessment meeting
Officials from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission are due in Vermont on Thursday for their annual assessment meeting at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. The 2:00 p.m. session is set for the Governor Hunt House, just outside Vermont Yankee’s main gate in Vernon. (AP)
International Paper tire burn
New York state environmental officials say International Paper’s application to test burn tires at its Ticonderoga mill for two weeks lacked critical information. The decision to send IP’s application back to the company is being lauded by environmentalists on both sides of Lake Champlain. (AP)
UVM paraphernalia
The success of the University of Vermont basketball and hockey teams is paying dividends from some area businesses. Demand for UVM tee-shirts, baseball caps and other gear is way up. A few years ago retailers were dropping UVM logo gear because of sluggish sales. (AP)
Court disturbance
The man who caused a disruption at the state Supreme Court this week had previous business with the court: appealing his own conviction for a sex crime. Seventy-one year old David Maunsell of Hardwick appealed his conviction for lewd and lascivious conduct to the Supreme Court in 1999 and the conviction was upheld. (AP)
Vermont death penalty trial
Preparations are under way for Vermont’s first death penalty trial in almost half a century. Up to 1,000 Vermonters could be considered as possible jurors in the upcoming federal trial of former Rutland resident Donald Fell. Jury selection is set to begin May 3. (AP)